Santa Rosa teacher wins STEM grant

ING announced Tuesday morning that Kathy Moore has received a $2,000 Unsung Heroes grant.

By KATIE TAMMEN / Daily News

Published: Tuesday, August 20, 2013 at 06:03 PM.

NAVARRE — A Holley-Navarre Middle School teacher’s plan to expand the science, technology, engineering and math offerings at her school just became a reality.

ING announced Tuesday morning that Kathy Moore has received a $2,000 Unsung Heroes grant. She was one of 100 teachers from across the nation selected for the innovative teacher grant and the only one in Florida, according to a news release from the national retirement, investment and insurance company.

“I was very, very shocked because it’s such a large grant program,” Moore said. “At this point I’m just kind of overwhelmed.”

Moore, who has been teaching for 22 years, said she will use the money to bolster the STEM elective course for students at Holley-Navarre Middle.

The program was started last year with financial help from the Santa Rosa County School District and volunteers, but needed to find a new revenue source to keep it going. That’s why Moore applied for the grant, according to Principal Joie DeStefano.

“It will allow us to branch out and get the necessary hardware,” DeStefano said. “Right now we’re doing it on a shoestring. We’re begging and borrowing.”

When all is said and done, the school will have a standing STEM course that will focus on physics.

Moore could bring in more money if she his selected as one of the top three educators from the current pool of applicants.

“I feel blessed already to have $2,000,” she said. “And if they give me additional funding, I’ll have a lot more to do this year.”

NAVARRE — A Holley-Navarre Middle School teacher’s plan to expand the science, technology, engineering and math offerings at her school just became a reality.

ING announced Tuesday morning that Kathy Moore has received a $2,000 Unsung Heroes grant. She was one of 100 teachers from across the nation selected for the innovative teacher grant and the only one in Florida, according to a news release from the national retirement, investment and insurance company.

“I was very, very shocked because it’s such a large grant program,” Moore said. “At this point I’m just kind of overwhelmed.”

Moore, who has been teaching for 22 years, said she will use the money to bolster the STEM elective course for students at Holley-Navarre Middle.

The program was started last year with financial help from the Santa Rosa County School District and volunteers, but needed to find a new revenue source to keep it going. That’s why Moore applied for the grant, according to Principal Joie DeStefano.

“It will allow us to branch out and get the necessary hardware,” DeStefano said. “Right now we’re doing it on a shoestring. We’re begging and borrowing.”

When all is said and done, the school will have a standing STEM course that will focus on physics.

Moore could bring in more money if she his selected as one of the top three educators from the current pool of applicants.

“I feel blessed already to have $2,000,” she said. “And if they give me additional funding, I’ll have a lot more to do this year.”